(The woman walks out of the bathroom in her underwear. The man sits on the bed in his shirts and shorts. The woman walks purposefully toward the man. She smiles at him.)

(She pushes him back on the bed and kisses him.)

[INT. DANCE CLUB - DANCE FLOOR -- NIGHT]

(The club is rocking. At the front door, a man walks through and the metal detector beeps. The Security Guard stops him.)

SECURITY GUARD: Whoa-whoa-whoa. What the hell is that?

(The Security Guard searches the Man and finds a switchblade knife on him. He opens it to show him. He confiscates the knife and lets the man through.)

(The Security Guard motions to the next man in line.)

SECURITY GUARD: Come on.

(The Next Man in Line walks through the metal detector. The Security Guard motions to the next person in line.)

SECURITY GUARD: All right. Keep coming.

FLASH TO:

[EXT. DESERT - NIGHT]

(Two people on motor bikes stop. They take off their helmets. One Man takes out a gun and fires three shots at the nearest sign. The sign reads:

WARNING RESTRICTED AREA It is unlawful to enter this area without permission of the installation commander. While on this installation, all persons and the property under their control are subject to search. MILITARY INSTALLATION Sec 27. Internal Security Act of 1957: U.S.C. 797 )

(The second man takes out his gun to fire. He aims and takes a couple steps forward and bumps into a body on the ground.)

MAN: What the -- ?

(They both look down and see the body on the ground.)

FLASH TO:

[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY LIGHTS (STOCK) - NIGHT]

[INT. HOTEL ROOM - BEDROOM -- NIGHT]

(A man sits down on the bed. He's crying.)

(In the bathroom, the faucet is on filling the tub up with water.)

(The man continues to cry.)

FLASH TO:

[INT. DANCE CLUB - DANCE FLOOR -- NIGHT]

(A person lights a match and sets a Polaroid photo on fire. He holds it up and lets the photo burn.)

(A man in a cap walks up to the doorway and greets the Man in a Suit familiarly.)

MANNY BRAZIL: Yo, Space!

SPACE: My brother!

MANNY BRAZIL (CLUB OWNER): Yo, yo, Man!

(Sirens start to blare.)

SPACE: Yo, man. When's the blitz?

(Sirens in the club blare and get louder. The Man in the Suit turns around and smiles.)

MANNY BRAZIL (CLUB OWNER): Right on time.

(The stage lights turn on and the club is filled with music. The crowd starts to dance where they stand.)

(As the music plays, the GUNMAN holding the burning photo takes out a gun, points it at a man nearby and shoots.)

(The Man falls down to the club floor.)

(The GUNMAN raises the gun and fires at the disco ball up above. He puts a hole in it. It bursts and sparks. The women in the club start screaming.)

[BULLET IN FLESH]

(Quick CGI POV of: The bullet embedded in flesh. The camera moves slowly backward out from the bullet and pulls back out through the flesh and out through the DEAD MAN'S forehead.)

(Camera holds on the dead man on the floor with a single bullet gunshot hole in the center of his forehead.)

[RESUME VIEW]

(Brass looks down at the body and reports to Grissom also standing nearby looking down at the body.)

BRASS: So witnesses heard multiple gunshots. (He looks at Grissom.) They think. Because if it was during the Blitz. You know, the lights were out, sirens were going off, search lights, the whole world war ii experience.

SARA: So I had some time to think while I was away. Enough time to figure out why I made such a stupid mistake. I-I do not have a drinking problem. I have a, uh, me problem.

(Different angle. We see Sara talking to her reflection in the locker mirror - "rehearsing".)

SARA: My P.E.A.P. Counselor suggested that it would be a good idea for me to talk to my supervisor and that's you, Grissom, so ... I never told you about my family. I never told anyone about my family, why would I ...

GREG: (interrupts) Sara?

(Sara turns around and finds Greg and Chandra standing outside the locker room looking in from the hallway. Sara stands up.)

GREG: I want you to meet my replacement. This is Chandra.

SARA: Nice to meet you, Chandra.

CHANDRA MOORE: Likewise.

(But not really. After a beat, Greg smiles at Sara. Chandra starts looking around the area waiting for Greg to move on.)

(Greg glances back at Brass. David Phillips stops in front of Grissom to report.)

DAVID PHILLIPS: Hey, I went through his pockets. No wallet, no I.D. Uh ... just some cash and these car keys.

(David hands the plastic bag to Grissom.)

DAVID PHLLIPS: It's a rental.

GRISSOM: Thanks, David.

(Greg looks around the club as Grissom checks the car keys out. The tag reads: THRIFT-RIGHT CAR RENTAL )

GREG: I never seen this place with the lights on before. It's kind of like seeing a one-night stand in the morning for the first time.

(Grissom glances back at Greg.)

GREG: (clarifies) Beer goggles.

GRISSOM: This is your proficiency test, Greg. You might want to work the scene. What do you see?

GREG: Chaos.

GRISSOM: Look a little closer.

(Grissom shines the flashlight down on the floor. Greg quickly turns on his flashlight too and looks down at the floor.)

GREG: Cartridge casings.

(He walks and looks around the area.)

(Cut to: Greg looks up at the ceiling.)

GREG: Bullet impact.

GRISSOM: We haven't recovered the gun yet, so ... ?

(Greg sighs.)

GREG: Victim was shot at close range ... in a crowd. Witnesses say there was a stampede. It's a good time to ditch a gun. Maybe it's still here.

GRISSOM: Good.

(Grissom turns and heads for the door. Greg appears surprised.)

GREG: Where are you going?

GRISSOM: Don't worry about me; worry about you. It's going to be a long night.

(Grissom turns and leaves Greg standing in the center of the crime scene.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY (STOCK) - NIGHT]

(Warrick's SUV turns into the parking lot.)

[INT. TOD MOTOR MOTEL - HALLWAY TO ROOM - NIGHT]

(Warrick holds his flashlight up to light his way through the darkened hallway.)

(Det. Cavaliere and the Super both walk up to him.)

DET. CAVALIERE: Hey, power went out about an hour ago.

SUPER: I checked the circuit box. Blown fuse, room 39. That's when I found him.

(The Super turns and heads back to Room 39. Warrick starts to follow the Super.)

WARRICK: All right.

(One of the motel room doors open.)

FEMALE TENANT: Hey! We need some AC. I got kids in here.

DET. CAVALIERE: We're working on it, ma'am. We'll have someone up very soon, okay?

(The Detective follows them.)

[INT. TOD MOTOR MOTEL - ROOM 39 - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS]

(The Super walks into the bathroom door and points to the bathtub.)

(Warrick walks in and sees the man in the bathtub, the water up to his neck, the hot plate down at his feet.)

WARRICK: Well, there's what blew your fuse.

DET. CAVALIERE: Hot plate? Electrocution. That's a quick way to go.

WARRICK: Not always.

(Warrick snaps a couple of photos of the body.)

SUPER: That's hardly our first suicide.

WARRICK: You think it's a suicide?

SUPER: Oh, come on, this loser? He's been here four weeks. He only paid for two. Wore the same clothes every day. No family, no friends.

DET. CAVALIERE: You got a name?

SUPER: Lance "I'll have it for you tomorrow" Frazer. I was going to throw him out in the morning.

(The overhead lights go back on.)

SUPER: Oh, thank god.

(Warrick checks the dead body's wrists and finds scars.)

WARRICK: Yeah, he's got some old school suicide scars.

(Warrick snaps a photo.)

SUPER: Told you. Loser.

DET. CAVALIERE: Looks like he was getting ready to skip town on you.

(Det. Cavaliere looks around the bedroom.)

(The Super sees the open suitcase.)

(Quick flash to: [NIGHT] Lance Frazer sits on his bed and cries.)

(He sees the hot plate on the television set.)

(Cut to: He sits down in the bathtub and holds the hot plate over the water.)

(He drops the hot plate in the water.)

(He groans.)

(Quick CGI POV to: The camera follows the electrical current through the wiring in the hot plate. It sizzles as it follows the lines.)

(The current hits the water and we hear gurgling. The water bubbles and sizzles.)

(The camera travels out from the hot plate through the water and up to Lance Fraser who spazzes as he's being electrocuted.)

(End of flash. Resume to present.)

(Det. Cavaliere looks through the suitcase and finds a bible. He puts the bible down and opens it. Warrick steps out of the bathroom and watches him.)

WARRICK: For inspiration or for last rites?

(Det. Cavaliere looks at Warrick.)

(Warrick picks up Lance Fraser's trousers and shakes it. We hear the jingling of coins in his pants pockets.)

(Warrick pulls out the wallet from the pocket. He hands it to Det. Cavaliere. The Det. checks the wallet.)

DET. CAVALIERE: Wallet's empty.

(The Super stands nearby and watches.)

(Warrick empties the pockets.)

WARRICK: Pack of cigarettes, sweetener, and a hot dog wrapper.

DET. CAVALIERE: Doesn't add up to much.

(Warrick turns and looks around the room. He sees the fake flower lei on the bedside table. Something he recognizes, perhaps.)

WARRICK: I wouldn't be so sure.

(Warrick raises the camera and takes a photo of the lei.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. NEVADA DESERT (STOCK) - DAY]

[EXT. DRY LAKE BED, ELY OFF GROOM LAKE ROAD -- DAY]

(Sara ducks under the tape Nick holds up for her.)

SARA: You are so late. What happened to you?

NICK: I'm late?

(Det. Travis walks up to them.)

DET. TRAVIS: Sara Sidle and Nick Stokes.

NICK: Yeah.

(He introduces himself.)

DET. TRAVIS: Detective Travis. I'm ex-LAPD homicide.

SARA: Nice to meet you.

DET. TRAVIS: Nice to meet you.

(Just outside the crime scene tape are a group of people holding up signs.)

SARA: Who are these people?

DET. TRAVIS: Uh, concerned citizens. Come on, right this way, please.

(Det. Travis leads them to the site. Sara turns back and looks at the people protesting. A couple of them are dressed in silver space suits complete with helmets.)

DET. TRAVIS: The weather's been pretty bad out here. I don't know if you're going to find much. A couple of teenagers were out here last night shooting off their dads' guns. One of them ... tripped over this thing.

(They reach the grave site.)

NICK: These kids thought they'd found a real space alien.

DET. TRAVIS: Yeah, we were the second call they made. The first one was to Dan Rather ... who I don't think is coming.

SARA: Who called in the space people?

DET. TRAVIS: From what I understand, they're always out here. See this guy in the silver lamé? He put it on the "watch the skies" web site. It's been a freaking free-for-all ever since then. You know where you are, right?

(He points to his right, a vast expanse of dry land.)

SARA: Area 51.

DET. TRAVIS: It's the most secretive piece of real estate in the world. This is about as close to the base as we can get and still be on public land.

(Nick sees something. He walks over to the side and snaps a photo.)

DET. TRAVIS: I guess the killer should've dug a deeper hole.

NICK: Not with a short-handled shovel.

(He picks up the shovel and shows it to them.)

SARA: Not to mention Nevada Desert is compact dirt, not sand. People usually give up before they hit three feet.

NICK: Got some paint ... maybe. Something for Hodges. One thing's for sure: It's going to take a lot longer getting him out than it did getting him in.

CARL JOHNSON: I-I-I don't know how many times you want to ask me. I woke up this morning like this. Well, the handcuffs are new.

DET. VARTAN: Anything you want to add?

(Catherine finds a print.)

CARL JOHNSON: No, I don't want to add anything!

DET. VARTAN: You don't remember anything?

CARL JOHNSON: No, you know what? For the last time, I don't remember, okay?

DET. VARTAN: Okay.

CARL JOHNSON: She ... she must have slipped me something.

(Catherine steps out of the bathroom. She takes her gloves off.)

CATHERINE: You sure it wasn't the booze?

CARL JOHNSON: I don't touch mini bars. That bitch drugged me.

CATHERINE: Well, if she drugged you, sir, it'll still be in your system. A blood test would be in your best interest.

[EXT. ROOFTOP PARKING LOT - DAY]

(Grissom walks up to the car and uses the car rental key to turn the car off.)

(He opens the door and looks inside. He photographs the answering machine inside. He sees there are nine messages.)

(He opens the back door and finds some cord on the car floor. He snaps a photo of it.)

CUT TO:

[INT. NIGHT CLUB - DAY]

(Various dissolves of Greg looking around the bar. He works from the back and makes his way forward.)

(Greg stands on the outside of the railing. He sees something inside the light container. He reaches inside and pulls out the gun.)

(He opens the cartridge.)

CUT TO:

[INT. CSI - FORENSIC AUTOPSY -- DAY]

(Catherine walks into the room.)

ROBBINS: Her mother's coming from Reno to claim her.

CATHERINE: I know. Vartan called. Nicole Richards, 25. Her stage name is Raven. We traced the locker room key to the Embassy Strip Club. Your turn.

ROBBINS: Sharp-force laceration to the frontal scalp with underlying fracture to the frontal calvarium. Cause of death, contusion to the brain and subdural hemorrhaging. Tox screen pegged her alcohol content at .30.

CATHERINE: That's almost four times the legal limit.

ROBBINS: Chronic drinking tends to cause a reduction in platelets. It thins out the blood and retards clotting.

CATHERINE: That would explain why there was so much blood at the scene.

ROBBINS: The only other thing I found ... was a swollen ankle.

(Robbins lifts up the sheet to show Catherine the black and blue ankles.)

(David Phillips washes his hands at the sink in the eerily quiet autopsy room. Static and electronic crackling is heard. David stops and turns to look at the "alien" body on the examining table in the next room. Not hearing it, he continues to wash his hands.)

(Again, he hears crackling and static sounds that are definitely coming from the body in the next room.)

(David turns the faucet off and wipes his hand with a tissue. He slowly walks over to the check on the body. He walks up to the glass and stares at the body on the table.)

(He doesn't hear anything. He chuckles softly to himself, turns and takes a step away from the body.)

(The crackling, static-y noises resume.)

(David turns around. It's definitely coming from the body on the table in the next room.)

(David walks over to check it out.)

(He walks up to the body and leans in very, very close.)

(The feedback resumes.)

SARA: (o.s.) We think it's a hearing aid.

(Sara's standing right behind him. David stands up, startled, but tries to be cool about it.)

DAVID PHILLIPS: Good. Yeah.

SARA: Yeah. It's out of juice.

DAVID PHILLIPS: Yeah.

NICK: Hearing aids have unique serial numbers, Super Dave.

(Nick leans in close and blows at the body's ear. He removes the hearing aid. The number reads: CN Resound 710.)

(Nick drops the hearing aid in a metal tray. David puts it aside.)

NICK: If you get this to Detective Travis, he should be able to run it down for us.

(That done, they go over the body.)

DAVID PHILLIPS: Arachnodactyly. Abnormally long fingers.

SARA: Hmm.

(Sara removes the watch from the dead body's wrist. She looks at it. It's a Seiko watch.)

SARA: David, I know where he's from.

NICK: Hmm?

SARA: Planet Seiko. (She flips the watch over to show the inscription on the back.) E.T.

NICK: You've got to be kidding me.

(Nick finds a slip of paper tucked in the dead body's clothing.)

NICK: Oh, you're going to love this. (reading) "Like a blinding supernova, your love is blasted throughout the universe. Two spirits become one by the power of the sun, the moon, and all the planets of the universe."

(Sara finds the edge of the dead body's mask. She lifts it up and reads the imprint on the underside of the mask: PROPERTY OF BIG CITY COSTUMES.)

SARA: Big City Costumes.

CUT TO:

[INT. CSI - A/V LAB -- DAY]

(Grissom is working on the Polaroid, digitized and in the computer. He grids the photo on the monitor. Greg walks into the lab.)

GREG: Hey, Grissom. Is that the burnt Polaroid from the nightclub?

GRISSOM: Yeah. I just scanned it in.

GREG: Bobby Dawson confirms that this .32 auto from the club is indeed the murder weapon. He's running it through NCIC and pawn shops.

(Greg hands the gun in the plastic bag to Grissom. Grissom sees something on the gun.)

GRISSOM: What's this blue stuff on the slide and the grip?

(Greg leans in to look at the blue stuff. He doesn't answer Grissom.)

GRISSOM: It's okay to say you don't know, Greg. That's why we have a trace lab.

(Grissom hands the gun back to Greg. Greg takes the gun and leaves the lab. Grissom returns to working on the Polaroid. He grids the photo and enhances an object on the floor. It's a prescription pill bottle. Grissom works to enhance the label.)

CUT TO:

[INT. GOLDEN NUGGET CASINO -- MAIN FLOOR -- DAY]

(The alarms wail and the people cheer as confetti falls to the floor. The woman raises her arms high in the air in celebration as she screams at her large win.)

WOMAN: Whoo!

(Warrick stands off to the side and watches.)

(The manager arrives. He places a plastic lei around the woman's neck. The same kind of lei found in Lance Frazer's motel room.)

CASINO MANAGER: There you go! Congratulations.

(He kisses her cheek.)

ANNOUNCER: All right. On behalf of the Golden Nugget, let me congratulate you.

(The manager leaves the woman and walks up to Warrick.)

WARRICK: You know how long I've played here and I've never gotten laid?

GREG: (v.o.) ... takes it to the club, burns it for some reason, and then takes one between the eyes himself?

(Someone kills the killer.)

(End of flash. Resume to present.)

GRISSOM: Bring me the head of John the Baptist.

[Note: Matthew 14:8 & Mark 6:24-25]

(Brass shrugs.)

GRISSOM: Salome -- wanted proof that he was dead. They didn't have Polaroids back then.

BRASS: So you're saying our first victim was a hired killer. Hired by whom?

GREG: Whoever shot him?

(Brass considers it. Grissom turns to look at Greg and Brass.)

FADE OUT

(COMMERCIAL SET)

FADE IN.

[INT. CHURCH -- DAY]

(Brian is dressed in an alien costume complete with head extension and jewel in the center of his forehead. He stands on stage and talks with a crowd.)

BRIAN (AS ALIEN MINISTER): (lisping) And like a blinding supernova, your love is blasting throughout the universe. Two spirits have become one. Earthling to earthling.

(Nick and Sara walk into the room and take seats at the back.)

BRIAN (AS ALIEN MINISTER): (lisping) ... So ... by the power of the sun and the moon and all the planets in the universe, and the great State of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss that bride.

(The couple kiss as the guests applaud.)

BRIAN (AS ALIEN MINISTER): (lisping) There you go.

SARA: Don't get all misty on me, now.

SHORT TIME CUT TO:

(Sara and Nick talk with Brian as he removes his head extension.)

BRIAN: So the deceased's costume was similar to mine, you say?

NICK: Yeah, identical. Manufactured by Big City Costumes.

(Brian removes his head extension.)

NICK: Specifically designed for this chapel.

BRIAN: Yeah, that's who makes them. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised -- things get stolen from he all the time. Them sci-fi nuts, you know, they're big collectors.

NICK: Do the initials E.T. mean anything to you?

BRIAN: No, just the ...

ALIEN MINISTER'S WIFE: Honey, we have a 3:00.

BRIAN: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

NICK: So business is good?

BRIAN: Oh, yes, never better. You know, I mean, people, they come to Vegas to get rich or to get hitched. I mean, you know, that's not why we do it, though. Is it, honey?

(The Alien Minister's Wife shakes her head.)

BRIAN: We believe in love, you know, in just whatever form it might take. Are you two married?

SARA: No.

BRIAN: No? All right, well, we're open 24 hours. There's a toll-free number right there on the back, all right? (He hands the brochure to Sara.) Don't let this moment pass you by. (to Nick) She's gonna getcha.

(Brian and his wife stand and leave.)

(Nick chuckles.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. WEDDING WONDERLAND - SIDEWALK - DAY]

(Nick and Sara step out of the Wedding Wonderland Chapel and out onto the sidewalk. A man dressed as Al Capone approaches them.)

AL CAPONE: Hey! You kids don't want to get married by Spock or whatever his name is in there. What would your mother say? Here.

(He hands them a flyer.)

(They look around and see the other chapel gimmicks standing out on the sidewalk trying to drum up business. They see the pink Cadillac in the garage.)

ELVIS: (over p.a.) Come on, all you hound dogs, get married by the king at the Burnin' Love Wedding Chapel.

NICK: Viva Las Vegas, man.

CUT TO:

[INT. CSI - INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY]

(Catherine and Det. Vartan interview George Craven. Catherine puts a morgue photo of Raven on the table.)

DET. VARTAN: How do you explain your fingerprint on the murder weapon?

GEORGE CRAVEN: I don't need to explain anything. I didn't kill her.

CATHERINE: Thumbprint on the towel bar?

GEORGE CRAVEN: In the bathroom at the Palermo?

CATHERINE: Yeah.

GEORGE CRAVEN: Yeah, I was in there. I took a leak. Come on, Raven's my girl, all right? She always had me check out her money.

CATHERINE: You let your girlfriend turn tricks?

GEORGE CRAVEN: Two grand to do some mid-western chump? She wouldn't turn it down, and I wasn't gonna stop her.

(Quick flashback to: [NIGHT] Raven dances on Carl Johnson.)

GEORGE CRAVEN: (v.o.) Dude stumbled in from the Acid Drop ready to go.

(Raven glances back at George who leans against the wall at the back of the room.)

(Carl Johnson pays George.)

GEORGE CRAVEN: (v.o.) He seemed harmless. I used the facility before I left.

(He misses the toilet. He grabs the towel bar.)

(End of flashback. Resume to present.)

GEORGE CRAVEN: Then I bounced. I was cool with her way of life. But I didn't want to stay and watch.

(Catherine notes the wounds on George Craven's hand.)

CATHERINE: Fresh wounds. You get those kicking guys out of the embassy, or ... kicking your girlfriend's ass? I don't think that you were cool with her ways. A big, strong guy like you, you're not gonna share her. She didn't tell you where she was going. You followed her, and you killed her.

(Quick flashback to: [NIGHT] GEORGE CRAVEN bursts into the hotel room to find Raven in bed with Carl Johnson.)

GEORGE CRAVEN: You little slut!

(Raven scrambles off the bed. George Craven runs into the bathroom and grabs the bath bar.)

RAVEN: No! Please

(He swings and hits her on the head. She scrambles to her feet and runs out of the bathroom.)

(End of flashback. Resume to present.)

GEORGE CRAVEN: I need a lawyer.

CATHERINE: I need your clothes.

CUT TO:

[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY (STOCK) - DAY]

[INT. CSI – DNA LAB -- DAY]

(Chandra Moore is in the DNA lab working. Grissom and Greg are both watching her. Grissom turns to Greg.)

GRISSOM: So, you like her?

GREG: I like not being her anymore.

(Hodges joins them.)

DAVID HODGES: The sticky substance in the slide of your gun is tape adhesive. What about the blue coloring? Chloromide M.E.A., Sodium lauryl sulfate, pine oil. Components of your basic bathroom disinfectant.

GRISSOM: So, Greg, how do you explain adhesive and toilet bowl cleanser on the gun?

GREG: I don't know. I can tell you the toilets in the club had blue water.

GRISSOM: You inspected the toilet bowls for evidence?

GREG: Well, when you got to go, you got to go.

DAVID HODGES: Whew.

GRISSOM: At a crime scene, Greg?

DAVID HODGES: Everybody knows you hold it.

GRISSOM: You go across the street or next-door, somewhere other than the scene, until you've cleared the restroom. Did you clear the restroom?

GREG: No.

GRISSOM: Well, you could've flushed away evidence, wiped away fingerprints from the handle. Make sure you include this in your field notes.

(Grissom walks away. Hodges turns and looks at Greg.)

DAVID HODGES: I like Chandra. She's cute.

CUT TO:

[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - BRASS' OFFICE -- DAY]

(Brass interviews Manny Brazil, the Club Owner. Manny paces the floor in front of Brass' desk.)

BRASS: The .32 automatic we found at your club, the serial numbers were filed off. I mean, you know better than anyone, that's a felony. Lucky for us, the crime lab recovered the numbers.

MANNY BRAZIL: Hey, look, that gun was stolen out of my desk last week.

BRASS: So what's this, "The dog ate my homework"?

(Manny sits down across Brass' desk.)

MANNY BRAZIL: Come on, man, think about it. Why would I kill somebody in my own club? I still got yellow tape across the front door.

BRASS: What do you care? You only own ten percent of the club. Ken Willard owns the rest.

BRIAN: (lisping) I mean, come on. That's more than just a scratch. I mean, it's nothing compared to the vandalism or the stress. I mean, come on. It's a war out there, you know? Marriage is money in this town and every chapel owner wants more. I mean, last month, middle of the "I Do's," a rock comes flying through my stained glass.

SARA: Were you in a war with Ed Thomas?

NICK: We found the shovel near the body. The paint transfer matches your car.

BRIAN: Well, I guess Ed was at war with me.

(Quick flashback to: [NIGHT] Ed takes the shovel and scratches the side of the Cadillac with it. End of flash. Resume to present.)

BRIAN: I mean, I was looking for a truce.

(Quick flashback to: [ED'S RESIDENCE] Brian walks into the small apartment. Ed's sitting in front of the television set.)

BRIAN: (v.o.) At first I thought that he was ignoring me, and then I remembered about his hearing problem.

BRIAN: Ed, I want to talk to you.

(Brian takes off his glasses and steps into the apartment.)

BRIAN: (louder) Ed, I want to talk to you.

(Brian checks Ed, but he's dead.)

(End of flashback. Resume to present.)

BRIAN: He was dead when I got there, I swear it. It must have been a heart attack or something. And so I took him out to Area 51 and then I buried him.

SARA: Why would you possibly take him all the way out there?

BRIAN: Because it's what he would have wanted.

NICK: And so then you just took over his business?

BRIAN: Yeah, well, I mean, it seemed like a good idea at the time, you know? Keep spreading the love.

SARA: The coroner determined that Ed suffered from Marfan syndrome, similar to Abe Lincoln.

NICK: Abnormally long fingers, arms, legs, scoliosis.

BRIAN: So, what does that got to do with me?

SARA: The syndrome weakened Ed's abdominal aorta. When you found him, he wasn't dead, he was unconscious. He was bleeding internally.

NICK: Yeah, the coroner found dirt in his stomach and his upper airways, underneath his fingernails.

(Quick flash to: Camera zooms out to Area 51 and down into the dirt. We see Ed Thomas open his eyes, looks around, and open his mouth to scream.)

(Quick CGI POV of: Camera zooms into Ed Thomas' mouth, down his throat, turns around and we see that it fill quickly with dry dirt.)

(End of flashes. Resume to present.)

NICK: He died from asphyxia, all right, but it was post-burial.

(Brian's eyes widen in horror and he starts to cry.)

BRIAN: I think I'm going to be sick. I'm sorry.

CUT TO:

[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY LIGHTS (STOCK) - NIGHT]

[INT. THE PALERMO - HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT]

(Catherine returns to the bathroom with an ALS. She puts her kit down.)

CATHERINE: Hit the lights.

(Det. Vartan turns the lights off. She looks down at the smudge of blood on the floor.)

CATHERINE: The victim had a swollen ankle. What if this bracelet is an anklet?

(Quick flashback to: [NIGHT] In her bare feet, Raven slips on the urine on the floor and hits her head on the bath bar.)

(Raven staggers out of the bathroom. She realizes her head's bleeding.)

CATHERINE: (v.o.) By then Johnson had passed out from the triazelam.

(End of flashback. Resume to present.)

CATHERINE: The more docile the john, the easier the job, except when you need him to save your life.

CRYSTAL: Ken Willard asked me to bring a bag back from L.A. For him. I didn't know what was in it.

BRASS: So you and Ken had a relationship?

CRYSTAL: We dated.

(Manny looks at Crystal, surprised by this news.)

GRISSOM: You both took valacyclovin as well. We found your prints on some duct tape in the women's restroom.

(Quick flashback to: [RESTROOM] Crystal hides the gun in the toilet.)

GRISSOM: (v.o.) The duct tape was used to hide Manny's gun.

(End of flashback. Resume to present.)

BRASS: The gun used to kill your hit man.

MANNY BRAZIL: Hit man? What the hell are you talking about?

Well, with Ken Willard gone, your 10% of the club becomes 100%.

MANNY BRAZIL: I didn't kill him and she doesn't deserve to go to jail. Look, the guy was a snake. Picking up girls, using them as mules, throwing them away.

BRASS: So what does a contract killer cost these days, Manny?

CRYSTAL: Manny didn't do anything. He's only tried to help me. The guy said he could solve my problem for ten grand. When the job was done, he said the price had doubled. I couldn't afford that ... and I didn't want to get Manny involved. So I stole the gun from his office.

CRYSTAL: Second I get arrested, Ken dumps me. He says he'll kill me if I roll over on him. The way I saw it, I had two choices: Either kill him or go to jail.

GRISSOM: Congratulations. You got both.

CUT TO:

[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY NIGHT (STOCK) - NIGHT]

[INT. THE ACID DROP - CLUB -- NIGHT]

(Catherine walks into the club. She walks over to the bar and waves to the bartender. The bartender points to the back.)

[INT. THE ACID DROP - CHRIS' OFFICE - NIGHT]

(Catherine opens the door. We hear a woman's laugh coming from inside.)

(She finds Chris with one of the club waitresses. They stare at each other for a moment.)

CHRIS: What do you expect? I run a nightclub.

(Catherine turns and leaves. The door slams shut behind her.)

CLUB WAITRESS: Who was that?

[INT. THE ACID DROP - CLUB - NIGHT]

(Catherine walks out of the club.)

CUT TO:

[INT. CSI - GRISSOM'S OFFICE -- NIGHT]

(Grissom reviews Greg's file.)

GRISSOM: You committed a fatal error, Greg. You compromised evidence at a crime scene. A judgment like that can cost us a conviction. In order to solo in the field, you have to successfully complete three proficiencies.

(He gives the file back to Greg.)

GREG: I failed this one.

GRISSOM: Yeah.

(Greg stands up, sighs and heads for the door.

(Grissom takes his glasses off.)

GRISSOM: But ...

(Greg stops and turns around.)

GRISSOM: Since you found a suitable replacement in the lab, I'm going to give you one more chance.

GREG: Thank you. Thank you.

(Greg leaves. Grissom watches him go.)

[INT. CSI - HALLWAY - DAY - CONTINJUOUS]

(Greg walks through the hallway. He hears some glass smash and Chandra's frustrated growl.)

CHANDRA MOORE: Oh, I can't go through with this!

(He looks up and sees Chandra step out of the lab.)

GREG: Hey, Chandra, how was your first day?

CHANDRA MOORE: I can't do this. It's too much for one person.

(She takes her coat off. Nick and Warrick peer out of the lab and watch. Chandra gives Greg her lab coat.)

CHANDRA MOORE: They all want ... they all want you, and I can't be you.